I am often asked why I started the Battle of Britain Historical Society. To be honest it was simply because I was darned annoyed at the time; I had just overheard two serving members of the RAF admitting that they knew practically nothing about the Battle of Britain – and questioning whether it was a sufficiently important event to still warrant celebrating every September.

As someone raised on a fare of tales of ‘derring-do’, and who knew that the Battle was make or break for this country, and indeed for the rest of the world, I had always assumed (rather naively as it turned out) that everyone left school knowing just how much we owe the Few. Nothing, in fact, could be further from the truth. A casual inquiry of the offspring of assorted friends revealed that the level of ignorance about WW2 in general and the Battle of Britain in particular was breath-taking.

So that’s when I became annoyed and, for once in my life, I did not shrug my shoulders and think ‘what can I do about it?’ but shook my fist at the heavens and said ‘This time they have gone too far!’ (for ‘they’ read successive governments, trendy educationalists, the anti-war brigade, the chattering classes, pseudo-intellectuals etc. etc., you know who I mean!). And that was it. With no money, no contacts and little idea, but possessed of a missionary zeal, I founded the Battle of Britain Historical Society.

We now have hundreds of members worldwide. Our declared object is to educate school children throughout the country so that they will grow up in the knowledge that the freedom which we all take so much for granted now would be unknown had the brave men and women who fought the Battle of Britain not prevailed. Our Society magazine “Scramble” keeps everyone up to date with all the latest news and now with our new website it will not only introduce new members to the Society, but will renew the interest in the Battle of Britain that many have long forgotten. If you would like to participate and become a member of our Society, you will be helping us to remember them by keeping their memory alive.

In the 21^st century there are almost no living participants of the battle left, and this is giving us more determination than ever to make the Battle of Britain memorial become a reality. Through our aim, and our website we are now going international and are welcoming more and more members from overseas countries. I thank you all, and through our strength we will achieve.